MURRAY, P/O George Bremner (J15476) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.401 Squadron - Award effective 10 September 1942 as per London Gazette dated 29 September 1942 and AFRO 1653/42 dated 16 October 1942. Born in Winnipeg, 2 December 1920; home in Halifax where he was a student; enlisted there 14 August 1940. To No.2 ITS, 30 September 1940; graduated and promoted LAC, 28 January 1941; posted that date to No.16 EFTS; to No.2 Manning Depot, 28 March 1941; to No.11 SFTS, 10 April 1941; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 4 July 1941. To Embarkation Depot that date; to RAF overseas, 25 July 1941. Trained overseas at No.53 OTU, Llandow. Commissioned 15 May 1942. Promoted Flying Officer, 21 September 1942. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 24 September 1943. Repatriated to Canada 16 October 1944; to No.1 BGS, 20 November 1944; to No.1 SFTS, 18 December 1944. To No.124 Squadron, 27 February 1945. To “Y” Depot, 24 January 1946; to United Kingdom, 15 March 1946. Repatriated 31 March 1946. released 23 October 1946. Returned to RCAF service. Died 19 June 2005. Aerial victories as follows: 1 May 1942: one FW.190 damaged; 17 August 1942: one FW.190 destroyed (shared with F/L J. Whitham) plus one FW.190 probably destroyed and one FW.190 damaged; 28 August 1942: one FW.190 probably destroyed; 29 August 1942 one FW.190 damaged; 9 October 1942: one FW.190destroyed (shared with Flight Sergeant Gimbel) plus one FW.190 damaged; 17 January 1943: one FW.190 damaged; 7 June 1944: one Ju.88 destroyed (shared with F/O W.A. Bishop). Medal presented at Buckingham Palace 8 December 1942. RCAF photo PL-28276 (ex UK-8607 dated 21 March 1944) shows him in front of Spitfire. Photo PL-56970 shows him as a Wing Commander, Staff College, 22 May 1953. // Pilot Officer Murray has carried out numerous sorties. He is an excellent leader whose resource and skill in action have proved inspiring. He has set a praiseworthy example to others. // NOTE: Public Record Office WO 208/3349 has an MI.9 report of his evasion. He took off from Beny-sur-Mer at 2030 hours, 27 June 1944. The narrative was as follows: // I was one of a squadron on armed reconnaissance over the area of La Ferte Mace (Sheet 7G - 0102). We were flying at about 10,000 feet and in turning to deal with a Focke Wulf 190 which was attacking one of our Spitfires, was hit bu another FW.190. I called by CO that the aircraft was hit, but that I was okay and returning to base. My engine was turning over at 4,500 revs, constant speed unit was smashed and there was a heavy oil leak. On the way home oil and smoke came from the front three stacks and the aircraft was in flames. I called up my CO again, said I was baling out and did so at about 7,000-8,000 feet. // After trouble with my parachute, which opened at about 3,000-4,000 feet, I made a good landing at approximately Sheet 7G, 0519, near Briouze (Sheet 7G, 0115). My aircraft was a burning wreck. I hid my parachute in a clump of trees, and checked my aid box etc. Whilst I was doing this a Frenchman passed; I asked him if there were any Germans in the vicinity, and on getting a negative reply went with him to where I had hidden my parachute, and asked that he bury it together with some of my other discarded kit. He took me to a barn where I met another man who gave me some food and civilian clothes. // I asked if they could assist me to contact the Resistance people. Later another man brought a couple of bikes and he and I set out for Argentan (2719). We went through Ecooche (1916) and then southeast, but by nightfall my bike had suffered punctures and the chain broke, so we spent the night in the woods. The following day another bike was brought out to me in a cart, and we continued our journey until near St. Hilaire la Gerard (0231), where I hid up for two days. // Here I was joined by an American pilot, Lieutenant Richard S. Reid, and a Canadian paratrooper, James McPherson. We contacted another man and lived in the forest seven kilometres north of St. Hilaire. // On 10 July 1944 my CO, S/L L. Cameron, and a British paratroop officer were brought to the barn. They were on their way to Spain. They had French papers, but not proper photographs. My Squadron Leader had the picture of a young boy on his card, and as I had a spare photo which was more like my CO than the boy’s was, he stuck mine on the card. The English officer spoke French, and as a result of his conversations with the Frenchmen, advised us to clear out. // Whilst here I saw a dogfight during the course of which a German pilot machine-gunned a member from a Lightning aircraft who had baled out. The American pilot was badly burnt on the face, wrist and ankles. I dressed his wound and the French said they would look after him. His name was Lieutenant James Frederick, and when we quitted the forest we brought him with us. // We started for St. Lo but were dissuaded by the local chief of Resistance, who put us in houses in Montmerre (3006) and said we should stay there until he returned with an escape plan some 15 days later. // On 30 July we decided to leave our helpers and find others. We were contacted by another man who housed us in the same town, and as the radio told us of the approaching Americans, we decided to await them. // On 9 August 1944 we gathered from the radio that the American advance was not coming in our area, so Reid and I decided to hit southwest for Mayenne (8171). We walked through the night until about midday. It had taken one and a half hours to cross the Corrooges-Sees road due to the east-bound traffic, but the Preen-Paul-Mayenne road at approximately 201881 at 1030 hours on 10 August was practically deserted. After a rest we continued on our way passing south of Preen Paul through Loup Fourgeres (010745) to Hardances (969745) thence to Grazay (9089). On 13 August we got a Frenchman to guide us - he kept 400 yards in front. We went to Marille la Ville (8971). // About four kilometres east of Mayenne we ran into the Americans. // He further reported that he had been lectured several times on evasion and escape, the last occasion being 5 June 1944. He had given about 500 francs to the wounded American and paid his helpers 1,500 francs for his keep. A supplementary report stated: // Marcel Escrise of Montmerre was the man who looked after me, and later all of us. He organised where we should stay and moved us around when necessary. I cannot speak too highly of his help. In Montmerre I stayed from 11-30 July 1944 with Madame Lemoine and from 1-9 August with Madame Bru who lived about two kilometres out of Montmerre. Our final guide who led us towards the American lines was Maurice Blicquet - one of the Resistance chiefs of Mayenne. // I heard that S/L Shepherd, 412 Squadron was given away by a French informer. // Madame Poirier of Montmerre was the lady who looked after Lieutenant Frederick’s burns. // Robert Frankart was the man with whom we stayed in the forest north of St. Hilaire, 29 June to 10 July 1944.